1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk cartridge loading/unloading system which loads or unloads disk cartridges into or from a container in which the disk cartridges are housed.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views respectively showing a conventional disk container and a disk cartridge loading/unloading system disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-91862. In FIG. 11, racks 4 in a plurality of stages are vertically arranged parallel to each other in a box-shaped housing 2 of the container, whose entirety is designated by reference character 1. The racks 4 are for storing a number of disk cartridges 3 (hereinafter referred to simply as cartridges) in which disks are contained. Regeneration units 5 are arranged directly under the racks 4, which units are for recording information onto the disk inside the cartridge 3, and for reading information written on the disk. Furthermore, a conveying system 6 is vertically arranged inside the housing 2, which system is for unloading a desired cartridge 3 from the rack 4 before inserting the cartridge 3 into the regeneration unit 5, and for reversely unloading the cartridge 3 from the regeneration unit 5 before returning the cartridge 3 to a predetermined rack 4. An opening 2b for loading the cartridge 3 into the container 1, and for unloading it from the container 1, is formed in an upper face panel 2a of the housing 2, and is arranged directly over the racks 4. The disk cartridge loading/unloading system 7 is provided in the opening 2b.
The conventional disk cartridge loading/unloading system 7 will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 12. In FIG. 12, reference character 10 denotes an open/close cover for covering the opening 2b which is formed in the upper face panel 2a of the housing 2, and the open/close is for loading and unloading the disk-contained cartridge 3. A handle 10a is formed at the front end of the open/close cover 10. The open/close cover 10 is pivotally supported at 0 at the upper part of the container 1. The open/close cover 10 performs an open and close operation by rotating between an angle position (close position) in which the surface of the cover 10 becomes horizontal so as to close the opening 2b, and an angle position (open position) in which the cover 10 is rotated upward from the close position by an angle of .theta. so as to open the opening 2b. The open/close cover 10 rotates on the pivotal point 0. FIG. 12 shows the open/close cover 10 when it is in the open position. A cartridge holder 11 is arranged under the open/close cover 10. The base 11a of the cartridge holder 11 is secured to the open/close cover 10. The cartridge holder 11 and the open/close cover 10 are constructed so as to integrally rotate on the rotation center 0. Due to the above, when the open/close cover 10 opens or closes, the cartridge holder 11 is interlocked by the cover to rotate around the base 11a of the cartridge holder 11. An insertion opening 11b is formed at the front end 11c of the cartridge holder 11 in order to insert the cartridge 3. A hollow 11d, into which most of the cartridge 3 is inserted, is also formed at the back of the insertion opening 11b. The cartridge holder 11 retains the cartridge 3, inserted from the insertion opening 11b, in the hollow 11d.
FIG. 13 illustrates the outward appearance of the cartridge 3. A disk 12, such as an optical disk or a magnetic disk, which is a recording medium, is housed in the cartridge 3. A pair of concavities 3a are formed on the sides of the cartridge 3, which concavities are for hooking a conveying hook (not shown) which clamps the cartridge 3 of the conveying system 6. Furthermore, a shutter 3b is provided on one face of the cartridge 3, which shutter opens when information is recorded onto the disk 12, or when information is read from the disk 12.
The operation of the conventional disk cartridge loading/unloading system will now be described. First, the handle 10a on the front end of the open/close cover 10 is pulled upward so as to rotate the open/close cover 10 around the pivotal point 0 in the base of the cover to the open position (position indicated by solid lines in FIG. 12). Under the above conditions, the cartridge 3 is inserted from the insertion opening 11a of the cartridge holder 11, and then the open/close cover 10 is rotated to the close position (position indicated by dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 12). At this time, the cartridge holder 11 is interlocked by the open/close cover 10 so as to rotate to the angle position in which the base 11a and the front end 11c of the cartridge holder 11 become substantially horizontal. This completes the insertion operation of the cartridge 3, retained in the cartridge holder 11, into the container 1.
After the cartridge 3 is thus inserted, the conveying hook (not shown) of the conveying system 6 is hooked in the concavities 3a, formed on the sides of the cartridge 3, thereby drawing the cartridge 3 from the cartridge holder 11 in order to convey it to the regeneration unit 5 or the rack 4.
In addition, in order to unload the cartridge 3 from the container 1, an operation which is the reverse of the above description is performed.
Since the conventional disk cartridge loading/unloading system is constructed as described above, the projected portion of the cartridge 3 from the front end 11c of the cartridge holder 11 is small, when the cartridge 3 is unloaded from the cartridge holder 11. Because the open/close cover 10 is arranged directly over the insertion opening 11b of the cartridge holder 11, the open/close cover 10 hinders the unloading of the cartridge 3. The above reasons have resulted in a problem in that it is difficult to unload the cartridge 3 from the cartridge holder 11.